BY EMMET RUSHE: The Christmas party season has begun.
This weekend, Facebook was awash with excited statuses and perfectly posed selfies as people headed out on the first wave of Christmas parties.
These statuses were usually followed by next day “Oh dear God…my head” updates; all perkiness and joy disappearing as fast as the mulled wine the night before.
These updates seem to be sending out an SOS for anyone with a Paracetamol or an Alka-Seltser.
Hash-tags that tell an all familiar story; #someonesaveme #makeitstop #cantfindmyphone #didireallydothat
You get the idea…
Just because ‘tis the season to be jolly’, doesn’t mean that you can’t go out and enjoy yourself without feeling guilty for the rest of 2014.
It’s the festive season. You are going to be at various parties and there will be an array of food and drinks on display.
Beating yourself up about your food and drink choices the following day is not really a healthy attitude.
Your long term choices will ultimately determine how you reach your goal.
Here are some tips that can help keep you on track over the festive season.
The day after your binge, wait until your body feels hungry again and eat a small meal with protein and green vegetables.
A meal like this will keep your blood sugar in control.
Drink a lot of water and continue to eat a high protein and low carb diet for the rest of the day.
As-well as helping burn off the extra sugar you took in, this will also help with the water weight that goes along with it.
Exercising before you go out the evening of your party can act like a pre-emptive strike on the ‘damage’ that you will do on your night out.
Keep the workouts short and intense, mini circuits can be a great way to get your heart rate up and your muscles firing.
Not only will you have a great calorie burn before you go out, you will also have a bit of a pump going on (guys) and look a bit more defined in your party clothes.
Try not to go for an intense session that day after.
Even if you were partly able for it, the fact that you temporarily feel better is coming from a release of endorphins, not because you ‘sweated out’ your hangover.
If you haven’t properly hydrated yourself pre, during and post workout, that hangover will be even worse once the feel good factor wears off.
Drinking water after a big session is common knowledge.
Water is the best detox that we can use to help an overloaded system.
Feeling heavy and bloated after a binge typically results from fluid retention and slowed digestion.
Water also helps move food wastes through the body preventing constipation which can cause that higher number on the scale that everyone worries about post binge.
Drinking something with electrolytes in it can help speed up the recovery process.
If you don’t want to go down the route of sports drinks, coconut water is a great alternative.
Stay clear from coffee (yes I said coffee) and alcohol, post party. You will only dehydrate yourself worse and extend your hangover.
The best word I can offer you for the party season, is “moderation”.
This is easier said than done, but if your day after the party is spent guilt tripping yourself and chastising yourself for your food choices, you are not developing a healthy relationship with food.
You have to realise that there will always be parties and there will always be occasions that will require you to relax.
As long as you are still moving towards your long term goal, you can allow for events like these.
Remember, no-one can give 100% all of the time, 90% will give you the mental leeway to have a life while being able to enjoy events when they arise.
#TrainSmart
For further information on Personal Training or to get a structured training program, please contact me through the link below. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rushe-Fitness/120518884715118
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